


Isaac Stark, a brother, a mess

by Minxied



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark's sibling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:08:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24428521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minxied/pseuds/Minxied
Summary: Isaac Stark struggles through the time that his brother is missing.
Relationships: Tony Stark/Original Character(s), Tony Stark/Original Male Character(s)
Kudos: 6





	1. And he wakes up each morning

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this, I forgot it, and now I'll post it.
> 
> I hope you enjoy, possibly.

“Good morning, Isaac. It’s thursday, April 30th, clock is 8:30AM. It’s going to be sunny and -” 

The AI’s voice cut out as a loud crash rang out in the mansion. Glass shattered around the living room floor as a bare leg came up and kicked it off the table, a dejected grunt following as Isaac Stark, crawled up from beside the couch.

His greasy black hair was sticking left and right, dark stubble slowly growing into a messy beard. He was barely dressed in swimming shorts, even them barely hanging on over his skinnying body. 

It had been month and a half since Isaac had left the property of the Malibu mansion. It was a house arrest decided by Pepper Potts. It was a necessary one, nobody around them could argue with it - Isaac Stark had wore himself thin in search of his older brother. And Pepper and Happy were not about let both Stark’s… well, neither were going to utter the word. 

Isaac stood rigid. Jarvis had opened the blinds like he did every morning after waking him up, he had given him the time and date. And like a sad ritual it was, Isaac stood staring out the clear windows, heart aching and hands starting to sting.

“I’m sorry, Jarvis,” Isaac apologised. His voice sounded like his voice box had been sanded with gravel, it wasn’t like he had been talking whole of a lot recently. “Is Pepper still coming today?” 

“Yes, sir. Do you want me to cancel it again?” 

Isaac gruffed out a mostly humourless laugh. Talking to Jarvis hurt, the AI reminding so much of the cheeky brother that had created and build him. 

“Nah, it’s fine. Tell me when she’s at the gates.” 

“Of course, sir.” 

Isaac Stark rubbed his hand down his face, he wasn’t going to cry the first thing in the morning. He was going to hold out until at least the mid-day. He was 20 pounds lighter since Tony had been kidnapped, his hair and the beard were longest they had ever had been. He had never been good with losing people he loved.

Climbing over the back of the couch, Isaac made his way through the mansion he had grew up in and quickly to the second floor, to his bedroom. Pepper was coming over, the least he could do was to take a shower and pretend to look like he was taking care of himself. Even if that wasn’t totally the the reality.


	2. Are the tears masked in the shower?

Isaac Stark had taken an forty minute shower. 

Sat underneath the stream, shaping and manipulating the water so small horses ran around the floor around him to distract himself. It was calming, he almost could lose himself in his head, for a moment to forget that his brother could be dead. Be dead or, maybe the worst, being tortured.

He had dressed and brushed his teeth, even combed through his hair and beard. The jeans were too big these days, the shirt larger than usual, both pieces of fabrics almost hanging off his body. Pepper was going to mention it, of course. 

Isaac had then made his way back downstairs, picked up the shards of the whiskey glass and collapsed on the couch with a gallon of orange juice. 

“Sir, Miss Potts has just arrived.” Jarvis informed. Isaac lifted the juice as an thank you, not bothering to get up - Pepper had a key and no matter how much he was going to pretend that he was fine, the damn AI found rat him out. 

Pepper Potts was a the person you wanted if you weren’t afraid of an extremely confident and strong woman. Isaac had met his fair share of these misogynistic assholes. She didn’t take any shit, but she was willing to deliver it if necessary. 

Truth was, both Tony and Isaac owed her more than their money could ever pay. More than words had the ability to detail.

“Mornin’,” Isaac muttered, raising the jug again in greetings. “Well, it’s not really morning, I guess…” 

Pepper looked as worried as she had always looked these past months as she walked through the front door.


	3. Ham and cheese and the feelings after

Pepper had been an saint, brought groceries and cooked. Well, cooked was an over description for it - she had made him a ham and cheese sandwiches. Still, it was more than Isaac had managed to do. 

Now, Pepper was standing opposite of the kitchen island where Isaac was perched on the high chair. She was dressed like the damn professional that she was, her eyes soft as she studied his body and behavior.

“Isaac.” She said.

“Hm?” Isaac hummed. He was refusing the eye contact like his life depended on it. “This is good, yeah, thanks.” 

“Isaac.” Pepper’s voice was now more pointed. They had had this conversation before and like before, he was determined not to have it.

Neither wanted to have it. The possibility that Tony wasn’t coming back, that he was - well… Isaac knew if that was the case, he would have to deal with it. Deal with it. It didn’t sound nice or something that he wanted to do, but he was in his damn mid-twenties. He was an goddamn adult and he was supposed to act like it. 

“Look, sweetheart,” Pepper’s voice was cracked with the same sorrow that Isaac felt. She had reached over and laid her hand over his. “Whatever happens, I’m here. I’ll always be here, Isaac.” 

Well now the waterworks definitely let loose, that Isaac didn’t have energy to fight against. He could only nod, trying to clear his throat to say something but never doing so. 

“I know, sweetheart.” Pepper whispered, pulling the black haired man into her embrace and letting Isaac sob against her shoulder. 

After Pepper had left, two hours later and after serving another patch of sandwiches to him, Isaac had collapsed back to the trusty couch.

Isaac woke up frantically, to Pepper’s voice shaking him awake. He had once again rolled off the couch to sleep on the ground. His heart pounded and ached, it took seconds for him to comprehend what Pepper Potts was practically shouting through the phone. Jarvis must have connected the call. 

“They found him! He’s alive, Isaac! Rhodey found him!”

His insides suddenly jumped against his ribcage, trying to escape him with the shock that buckled him on the couch. Isaac barely registered what Pepper was telling him before the call ended. 

“What?” Isaac questioned through a sob. 

“Sir, Miss Potts is already on her way to get you. I suggest you get ready for a flight.”


	4. Happy and Haircuts

Happy Hogan had not lost hope but it still was a damn shock. After Pepper had gotten the call, that Tony fucking Stark was alive, they had speeded to get Isaac. Tony was being flown to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany and there was nobody who was going to stop the three from going to see their best friend and brother. God bless the Pepper, she had managed to sort out in record time at 2AM a private jet to fly to Munich. 

And now, Happy stood in front of Isaac at the bathroom of the jet. He had shaven the unkempt beard off and Happy was handling the dishelieved hair, cutting it to buzzcut. There was a gleam already glimmering in his eyes again. 

“I told ya, didn’t I? Told ya he’s alive.” Happy said, disbelieving shake of a laugh following. And soon, Isaac was laughing too - something that Happy had not heard in so long.


	5. Tony, the older brother, the heart and soul

Tony Stark woke up from the sleep he had wished for so long, it was dark and silent other than the beeping of the machines monitoring him. There was a weight on top of his left arm and he could recognized the freckled face of his younger brother. 

“Ise..” Tony whispered, the smile wide on his face, even with the tears falling to his cheeks. He had been afraid many times in the cave, not for himself, but the thought of Isaac suffering was torture by itself. 

Lifting his tired hand, he rested it over the stubbly head, rubbing his thumb back and forth. He was real, Isaac was real. And he was here, all he needed right now. 

“I love you, kid.”


End file.
